_Men are happier and better when engaged in useful occupation._
To-day we will learn about Tubal Cain who was the first smith of
which we have any knowledge. We do not know very much about his
life, for the Bible merely says he was a worker “in brass and
iron.” We may suppose, however, that he had a forge somewhere, and
that he labored day by day making things that were needed by the
people in those rude days.
Men came to him at his forge and said: “Tubal Cain, we are engaged
in hunting and we need sharp points for our spear heads, and arrows
so that we can kill the game we need.” So Tubal Cain would set
his forge to flaming and his anvil would ring while he made spear
points and arrow heads for the hunters.
Other men came to him and said: “Tubal Cain, we are about to go to
war, and we need sharp arrows to kill our enemies.” At that, Tubal
Cain would swing his mighty hammers and the anvils would ring and
the fires glow while he fashioned swords that were sharp enough to
cut off a man’s head at a blow.
More men came to him and said: “Tubal Cain, we need helmets of
brass, and shields of iron to protect our head and bodies when we
go to war. Also we want iron chains to bind our enemies, so that
they may not escape.” Then Tubal Cain would start the forge again,
and the anvil would sing loud and long as the hammer beat out all
the things the men asked for. The swords and helmets and shields
and chains brought Tubal Cain much money, but he saw what bloody
work they did. The more swords he made the more men fought. At last
he said: “I will make no more swords for men to slay each other
with.” And so the forge was cold, the fires were out, the anvil was
silent and Tubal Cain sat at his door and shook his head at all who
begged for swords.
One day he said: “Why should I be idle? I will make plows and
scythes instead of swords.” After that the forge glowed again, the
anvil rang, and Tubal Cain was busy. When men came to him he said,
“Here, take this plow and break the soil and plant grain. It is
better than the sword. Take this scythe and reap the grain. It is
better than helmets or shields or chains.”
Thus Tubal Cain made plows and taught men to use them in raising
crops instead of making swords to slay one another. Wars stopped
for a while, and the fields were full of growing crops, for men
could now plow the soil and cut the grain with scythes.
So Tubal Cain sang his song all day long for he was happy because
he was making something useful for his fellow men.